Apparatus for repairing and testing radiators



y 25,v 1954 D. H. AUSTIN fi' fi APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING AND TESTING RADIATOR-S Filed April 25, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l ZNVENTOR. DON/44,0 H AusT/N ATToR/va' vs May 25 1954 D. H. AUSTIN APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING AND TESTING RADIATORS Filed April 23, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 DONALD H. AusT/N QMQ W ATTORNEYS May 25,1954 v D. HAU'sTm 2,679,092

APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING AND TESTING RADIATORS Filed April 23, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 RADIATOR 46 3 I 47 4/ '3 .2 29 6 26 3? I 83e 43- 934 i5 0 27 27 5/ INVENTOR.

4 DONALD H AusT/N ATTORNEYS Patented May 25, .1954

UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING AND TESTING RADIATORS Donald H. Austin, Little Falls, Minn.

Application April 23, 1951, Serial No. 222,496

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for facilitating the operation of repairing and testing automobile radiators.

It is well known that a leaky radiator cannot always be repaired while in its usual position in the automobile. It is therefore customary to remove the radiator, especially when the tubes of the radiator core become leaky, in order that access may be had to the leaky tubes for the purpose of making repairs thereto, and also to facilitate testing the radiator for leaks, and it is an object of the present invention to] provide an apparatus for supporting a radiator, whereby access may be had to all parts thereof, while secured in position in the apparatus.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this general type comprising a support mounted for universal movement and having means for securing a radiator therein, whereby the radiator may readily be rotated about horizontal and vertical axes, to facilitate positioning the radiator whereby a mechanic may readily and conveniently repair the leak, and also whereby the l radiator may be rotated in said support to facilitate the inspection thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the class described comprising means for supporting a radiator whereby it is adapted for universal movement, and a tank being positioned adjacent to said support whereby the radiator may readily be lowered into the water in the tank for the purpose of locating leaks, it being understood that air under pressure is introduced into the radiator prior to submerging it in 1 the water.

A further object resides in the unique construction of the radiator supporting device and in the pivotal mounting thereof in its supporting frame, whereby when a radiator, core is supported in the apparatus and the radiator supporting device is rotated in its horizontal axis, the weight of the radiator core will counterbalance the weight of its supporting structure.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel construction and arrangement of the radiator supporting frame, whereby the radiator may be rotated to any desired position and also whereby said frame with the radiator positioned therein, may be swung as a unit about a vertical axis to facilitate positioning the radiator in the clamping means or removing it therefrom, and also whereby the operation of inspecting the radiator is facilitated; in the construction of the fluid operated means for raising or lowering the radia cup-packing, well known in the art.

ator supporting frame; and in the friction means provided for frictionally retaining the radiator clampin means and radiator in any desired position to facilitate making repairs thereto.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus showing a radiator supported therein in a position over the tank;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the link connections between the lower clamping elements;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure l, the full and dotted lines indicating the radiator in different positions;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line -4 of Figure 1, showing a radiator supported in the apparatus; and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the apparatus on a relatively smaller scale, illustrating how the supporting frame may be swung to difierent positions over the tank or to a position to one side thereof.

The novel apparatu herein disclosed is shown comprising a suitable tank 2 adapted to contain a liquid such as water, of a depth suflicient to submerge a radiator core therein for the purpose of testing the radiator for leaks, as will subse-. quently be described.

An upright cylinder 3 is shown mounted adjacent to the wall t of the tank, and has a plunger 5 mounted for vertical movement therein. The plunger is shown provided at its lower end with a piston 5 which may be in the form of A head or cap 3' is secured to the upper end of cylinder 3 to provide a closure therefor, and also to provide a bearing for the plunger 5 in its up and down movements. The cup packing 6 is shown secured to the lower end of the plunger 5 by a suitable bolt 8, which preferably extends below the flange of the piston packing for the purpose of providing an abutment or stop for the downward movement of the plunger 5. In other words, the lower terminal of bolt 8 is adapted to engage the bottorn wall 9 of the cylinder 3 to limit the downward movement of the plunger, as when the radiator core is submerged in the water in the tank.

The cylinder 3 below the piston 6 is filled with a suitable pressure fluid such as oil, which controls the raising and lowering of the plunger in the cylinder 3. Positioned adjacent to the cylinder 3 is an auxiliary cylinder H having a bypass l2 for establishing connection between the lower end of the cylinders, whereby the liquid in the lower end of cylinder 3 may flow back and forth between the two cylinders in the operation of the apparatus. In Figure l, the portion of the cylinder 3 below the piston i5 is shown filled with oil, and it will also be note that the lower portion of cylinder ii is filled with oil to a position slighty above the bypass E2. The remaining portion of cylinder it between the oil level therein and the top end thereof contains air under pressure delivered thereto through a conduit i3 having a suitable control valve i l interposed therein. The control valve is of conventional design and when operated in one direction, permits air under ressure to enter the upper end of cylinder ii, thereby to force the liquid downwardly therein and into the lower end of cylinder 3 to raise the plunger 5 to the position shown in Figure 1.

When the control valve is operating in the opposite direction, air is released from the upper end of cylinder ll, whereby the plunger moves downwardly in the cylinder 3 by gravity. During such downward movement of the plunger,

the oil in the cylinder 3 is bypassed baclr in the lower end of cylinder ii, and as the oil level therein ascends, air is released to the atmosphere from the upper end of cylinder ii through the control valve M, as will be understood. The raising and lowering of the plunger 5 may therefore be conveniently controlled by manipulation of the control valve 14.

The means for supporting the radiator is shown comprising a U-shaped frame 15, preferably of tubular stock, comprising spaced arms it and I! having their upper ends fixedly secured to a horizontal member is. A pivot bolt pivotally connects the frame 55 to the outer end of an arm l9 secured to the upper end of plunger 5, as shown in Figure 1. A suitable brace 25 is shown having one end secured to the upper end of the plunger and its opposite end to the arm iii to prevent the outer end of said arm from sagging under a load.

Enlarged, bearing plates 22 are secured respectively to the upper frame member is and the arm is to provide friction surfaces which are retained in frictional engagement with one another by a suitable spring 23, adiustably supported on the upper end of the bolt all by an adiusting nut 24.

A horizontal member 25 is shown provided at its ends with upright elements 126 which are pivotally connected to the spaced arms is and l? of the frame l5 by pivots 2i. Springs 2!} are coiled about the pivot bolts 2? and are tensioned by manipulation of the nuts 29 of the pivot bolts 2'5, whereby said springs frictionally restrain horizontal member 25 against pivotal movement about the axis aa, formed by the pivot bolts Means is provided for clamping the radiator in position on the horizontal member 2i, is shown comprising a pair of spaced parallel bars 3! and 32 having their ends secured to the lower ends 33 of a pair of upright posts 3 5 adapted to support a second pair of spaced bars or rails 35 and 36, as will be understood by reference to Figures 1 and i. Spacing blocks 3?, 38 and 39 retain the rails 35 and 3b in spaced relation, as best illustrated in Figure 4.

Slides 4! and 42, each having vertically spaced flanges and are slidable on the upper rails 35 and S6, and each carries a clamping screw 55 provided at its lower end with a clamping element or plate 35. Each screw 55 has an operating handle a? secured to its upper end to facilitate rotation there-of, when securing a radiator in position in the apparatus. The clamping plates it are pivotally connected to the lower ends of the adjusting screws 45 to prevent relative rotation thereof when the clamping screws are manipulated.

A pair of lower clamping plates d3 are secured to slides is mounted for traveling movement upon the lower spaced bars 3! and 32 in opposite directions, as a result of links 5! connecting said slides with a centrally disposed link 5?. pivoted to an anchor element 5% secured to the spaced bars 35 and 32. Friction disks 53 and 54 are secured respectively to the bars iii-32 and the lower horizontal member 25 of the radiator supporting means. A pivot bolt :35 rotatably secures the spaced clamping bars 35 and 32 to the lower frame member 25, as will be understood by reference to Figure 1. A suitable spring 56 is shown coiled about the pivot bolt 55 and serves to frictionally retain the circular disks 53 and iii in engagement with each other to frictionally restrain the clamping bars 3! and 52 against rotary movement about the axis of the pivot bolt From the foregoing it will be noted that the radiator when clamped between the clamping elements and iii by manipulation of the operating handle ll, may be universally adjusted to any desired position or angle to suit the convenience of the mechanic who is to inspect the radiator or make repairs thereto. The aligned pivot bolts 2'11 permit the radiator while clamped in the apparatus to rotate about the horizontal a-a, as will be understood by reference to Figure 3, wherein the dotted lines A indicate the radiator when rotated to a substantially upright position.

The vertically aligned pivot bolts 25 and 55 cooperate to provide a vertically disposed axis bb, about which the radiator may be rotated in a horizontal plane as will be understood by reference to Figure 5. The telescoping engagement of the plunger 5 with the cylinder 3 also provides a vertical axis c-c about which the U-shaped frame l5 with a radiator supported in the lower portion thereof, may be swung to either of the tank, as indicated by the dotted line positions B and C in Figure 5.

in the operation of the novel apparatus herein disclosed, the upper bars 353t are detached from the posts a l as a unit, by withdrawal of the pins 57. ihe radiator to be repaired or tested is then placed upon the lower clamping element .8, after which the upper bars its-35 are engaged with the posts as shown in Figure l. A. plurality of spaced apertures 53 are provided in the posts 35. to expedite the operation of enga us the upper clamps iii with the radiator, as will be understood. The apertures 58 also provide adequate up and down adjustment the clamping bars 35 and 35 to adapt the apparatus for radiator cores of varying thicknesses.

After a radiator core has been secured in position between the clamping elements as illustrated in the drawings, the radiator may be rotated in any desired direction by reason of the universal mounting of the clamping elements upon the upper horizontal arm l9 of the plunger 5. All pivotal connections embody friction means whereby the radiator may be retained in any de sired position without supplemental securing elements.

After the damaged portion of the radiator has been repaired, low pressure air may be introduced into the radiator by suitable means not shown, and the radiator is then lowered into the tank and submerged in the water therein, as indicated at D in Figure 3. Before air is introduced into the radiator, the intake and discharge connections 59 and 91 thereof are closed by suitable caps not shown in the drawing, and a fitting is applied to the filler neck 52 of the radiator to which one end of an air hose may be connected for the introduction of air into the radiator core. If no leaks are noted, the radiator may be removed from its supporting clamps 49 and 48 by elevating it to the position shown in Figure 1, and laterally swinging the radiator and its supporting means to a position clear of the tank 2, or to a position whereby the radiator may be readily removed from its support, as will be understood by reference to Figure 5.

The novel apparatus herein disclosed is capable of accommodating radiator cores of practically all sizes. The removability of the clamping bars 3539 provides an important feature of the invention in that it makes it possible to quickly place a radiator core in the apparatus and secure it in position therein, regardless of size. The spaced apertures 58 make it possible to shorten the length of the adjusting screws 45 and also reduces to a minimum the number of rotations required of said adjusting screws when securing a radiator in position in the apparatus or removing one therefrom. The up and down movement of the clamping means is controlled entirely by manipulation of the single air control valve l4, and there is substantially no loss of the pressure fluid in the main cylinder 3 because of said fluid being completely confined therein.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be constructed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for repairing automobile radiators, an upright tubular standard having a member mounted telescopically therein and adapted for vertical adjustment, said vertically adjustable member having a laterally extending arm secured to its upper end portion, an enlarged downwardly facing bearing plate secured to the outer end of said laterally extending arm, an inverted U-shaped member comprising an upper horizontal member having an enlarged upwardly facing bearing plate secured to the intermediate portion thereof adapted to be seated against the downwardly facing bearing plate of said arm, said upper horizontal member, bearing plates, and said lateral arm being apertured to receive a pivot bolt for pivotally mounting the U-shaped member on said arm, spring means engaged with said bolt and arm for frictionally retaining said bearing plates in engagement with one another and permitting rotary movement of the U-shaped member relative to said arm, said U-shaped member being provided at its opposed ends with pivotally mounted, downwardly extending legs, a lower horizontal member secured to one end of each of said legs, a radiator supporting mechanism pivotally mounted on the intermediate portion of said lower horizontal member to rotate on a vertical axis, all of the said pivotal mountings cooperating to provide a universal support for the radiator, whereby the radiator may be tilted to any desired position to facilitate work operations.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein hydraulic means is embodied in said upright standard for vertically adjusting the arm supporting member therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,043,633 Sessions Nov. 5, 1912 1,349,633 Staley Aug. 17, 1920 1,495,894 Dubois May 27, 1924 1,516,973 Loughran Nov. 25, 1924 1,823,204 Long Sept. 15, 1931 2,347,854 Tyson May 2, 1944 2,374,263 Askin Apr. 24, 1945 2,505,665 Franck Apr. 25, 1950 2,530,333 Jost Nov. 14, 1950 2,567,384 Lietz Sept. 11, 1951 2,602,990 Ferguson July 15, 1952 

